The New Threat
by MYSTIC1
Summary: 20 after Message, the Ronin Warriors faced many battles and started families, but a new nether invasion took Sai, his son, and Ryo's two stepsons before leaving Japan. Can Dais save the captives? Ronins and Warlords must unite.
1. Chapter 1

Sai Mouri was preparing for lunch and relaxation with this new family. While he cooked dinner and his four-year-old daughter played with her dolls, his wife Michiko and their six-year-old son Yoshio waited outside in the nice weather. Sai smiled to himself, quite content. He hoped to keep this family and hoped the armors would never interfere. Michiko was actually his second wife. His first wife divorced him many years ago because of the armors. His first wife could not bear the strain of constantly fearing for his life, so they divorced and she received custody of their two sons who he never saw since. Michiko, however, was more understanding and considerate. Sai hoped his new marriage would be a blessed, long-lasting marriage.

* * *

Rowen Hashiba would much rather write an op-ed piece for the newspaper than lecture college students over the Heian era. The students may or may not be listening, and he seriously doubted the quality of their papers that he had yet to grade. Both he and Ryo had chosen careers in education because school schedules matched the best with their duties as Ronin Warriors, Rowen a college history professor and Ryo a high school soccer coach. Rowen initially found his career choice to be rewarding, but the rewards soon vanished. Most students simply did not care enough. Then, he began to write op-ed pieces for the newspapers where he always knew people would listen to him. Even if the responses were hate mail, he knew someone felt passionate enough about his thoughts to bother with a response.

* * *

While coaching soccer, Ryo Sanada had more important issues on his mind. His two stepsons Hikaru and Isaru Hideo-Sanada were who-knows-where. His prefecture's school district held a class-free holiday for honor roll students. 16-year-old Hikaru had excelled in his classes, so he earned the holiday off from school. Nothing wrong with that. However, 15-year-old Isaru did not excel but chose to skip class to be with his older brother. Definite problem with Isaru. At least his two children Banana (named after author Banana Yoshimoto) and Hiroyuki Sanada were well-behaved; they dutifully tended to their classes and their assignments. An age gap prevented much direct influence between stepchildren and children; Banana was nine, and Hiroyuki was six. Ryo knew he and his wife Sayoko would discuss Isaru's truancy later. He wondered if a discussion would even matter. Isaru followed his older brother in all areas except education.

* * *

Sometimes, Kento Rei Faun wondered who his children's parents were. All but one of his children had been adopted. His wife encountered severe complications during her first and only pregnancy, which left her unable to have more children. They both wanted a large family, so they chose adoption instead. Kento and 11-year-old Kuyen were shopping for a toothbrush while Yokohama's schools held a holiday. Last week, one of Kuyen's younger brothers used his toothbrush and thus "contaminated" it; the typically well-mannered and easy-going Kuyen threw a fit, so Kento bought him a new one. However, it was not the right type. Thus, while Yokohama's schools took a holiday, they were back in the store to pick the right one. Kento never imagined anyone being so finicky and obsessed with dental hygiene.

Kento often never thought about his adopted children's biological parents or where they came from. Kuyen was a different matter. Watching Kuyen examine the bristles and the varieties through the plastic, Kento remembered when his son was seven at this same store. Innocent Kuyen inquired about the function of the different shapes as well as about toothpaste, floss and mouth wash. Smiling helplessly and a bit amused, Kento replied to many of these questions "I don't know." When Kuyen was three or four, he always tried to pry into people's mouths and look inside. Kento had been trying to encourage him into normal children's interests such as prehistoric animals, which seemed to work to an extent, but also seemed to further Kuyen's knowledge of the different types and functions of teeth. Where did such an unusual child come from? Kento had no idea. He knew Kuyen's future, however. Dental school. His unusual son would become a dentist, and Kento was already trying to figure out the college costs.

* * *

Sage Date enjoyed the nice and peaceful weather. He also enjoyed time with his daughter and son, Kotoni and Sejo. Sage had been excited with the birth of his son and waited sometimes impatiently for Sejo to age past infancy and toddlerhood when Sejo could begin learning sensible thoughts and proper behavior. In the meantime, Sage had been primarily attentive to his older daughter Kotoni all the while waiting. But now, at age five, Sejo was finally nearing the point where Sage could begin to teach him. Sage remembered well his own lessons at that age. Still too young for swords, though.

* * *

Right below Japan, a dark and sinister cloud began to emerge from the sky. Brownish-yellow lightning strikes of nether energy rippled throughout it, bringing it into the mortal world. Dirt developed underneath the mass, revealing it to be a piece of land torn from the nether world. Ground, grass, and buildings appeared atop. Nether soldiers on horseback ran in anticipation.

The dark cloud surrounded the top in an ominous mist and propelled it forward. Youja with their armies gathered and watched Japan come nearer. The leader of all these youja raised his weapons; he shouted victory against the Ronin Warriors. They would defeat the Ronin Warriors who wished to destroy them, hapless products of humanity's own antagonism. The Ronins' crusade against the netherworld was merely the result of their own hatred toward humanity - a hatred for what humanity can produce and a wish to eliminate human nature. The netherworld cannot be defeated by such misguided principles. Now was the time for a pre-emptive strike!

Thus the dark and sinister shadow crept over unsuspecting Japan. The dolphins and whales sensed the wickedness above; they dived deeper into the water and refrained from their customary leaps to the surface. People went about their normal lives. Even the Ronin Warriors went about their normal lives.

* * *

Sai paused in his cooking. He stared in the direction of his yard. His armor sensed the netherworld approaching. His wife Michiko and their 6-year-old Yoshio were outside. His eyes widened at what this meant. Hurriedly, he turned off the burners and ran toward the door. The netherworld was soon upon them.

Michiko and Yoshio did not understand what they saw. Yoshio pranced in the middle of the yard; he clapped his hands, "Yay, it's a storm!"

Sai spun to his wife, "Michiko, get inside."

"What?"

"Get inside. We're in danger. I'll get Yoshio."

Michiko glanced at the dark cloud. Was that an evil her husband had battled?

Sai did not bother to see if she heeded his warning. Yoshio was too cheerful, too oblivious. They saw the brownish-yellow nether energy rippling throughout the cloud. It flowed outward as if to touch the land. Sai hastened to save his son, "Yoshio, it's not a storm!" As soon as he grabbed Yoshio, the nether energy enveloped them, and they vanished.

* * *

Yuli Yamano sighed impatiently. Traffic on the bridge was at a standstill due to a car accident at the front. Yuli could not see the accident, but he assumed it was pretty bad on account of how much it halted traffic. His car had been turned off for nearly thirty minutes now to save on gas.

His eight-year-old daughter Eiko was equally bored. She lightly shook her small bunny backpack. She twisted her mouth in a little frown. Bored. She looked outside. The same car outside. Bored. She looked in her side mirror. "Daddy, there's a storm coming."

Yuli thought sarcastically, 'Great, that's just what I need.' Because there was nothing else to do, he looked at the rearview mirror. Alarm set in. The cloud was familiar, too familiar. "Eiko, I don't think that's a storm."

"Then, what is it?" she asked, curious as Yuli turned the key to start the car engine. Nothing. She watched her father turn the key again.

"The car isn't working."

"Is the battery dead?" Eiko never heard her father sound so worried or concerned before.

"No." Again, Yuli looked in the rearview mirror. This time, he saw sparks of nether energy. He and his daughter needed to escape immediately, but they were trapped on the bridge. "Eiko, how good can you swim?"

"I came in third out of the district championship."

Third out of over a thousand students? "Excellent. Get out of the car."

"What?"

"I said get out of the car." Yuli opened his door and stepped out, but Eiko was slow, uncertain, not understanding her father's behavior. "Hurry!" He grabbed her hand and began to pull her through the line of cars. Eiko protested loudly at this erratic behavior.

A younger guy in his early twenties stepped in front of him. He seemed to have once had a crew cut that he was trying to grow out into another style. "Hey, man, what are you doing?"

Yuli took a deep breath. "We're going to jump off the bridge."

"Don't do it, man. Think about the girl."

"Oh, I am thinking about the girl. She is one of the best swimmers in her entire school district."

"Man -"

Screams broke their conversation. All three turned to see the source. Nether soldiers ran through the rows of cars. There was no time to jump to safety. Terrified people stampeded toward the other end of the bridge even as the nether energy flashed over them. Some vanished but others continued the stampede Eiko might be crushed.

Pulling Eiko along, Yuli hurried to a nearby car. They could hide underneath. He bent down to check it, but her grip was suddenly yanked from him. Her own screams came simultaneously as their hands were ripped apart. Yuli hurried up in time to see her be lifted in the air, nether energy swirling around her. The wicked cloud was directly above them.

Nether soldiers on foot stood throughout the many rows of cars. Instinct took over. Yuli had years of sword practice; Ryo and Sage were his inspiration for swords. He reached for the sheathed blade of a nether soldier, wholly unprepared and never expecting a counterattack. He sliced the soldier with its own blade. By then, the other soldiers realized what happened and converged upon him. Before they could reach him, the nether energy also took Yuli, and he vanished.

Halfway done with the white board, Rowen dropped his black marker. He sensed the netherworld. He turned his head toward the window. It was moving fast. It contained incredible violence; apparently, it already commenced hostilities. Rowen walked to the window and peered through the blinds.

From the fourth floor, he witnessed much more than the other people had so far. An actual piece of land had been ripped apart from the netherworld to invade humanity. The youja planned for a long and sustained attack. This might be the youja's point of no return. A piece of the netherworld might remain in the human world indefinitely.

* * *

Ryo called for a brief pause in this team's soccer practice. His cell phone was ringing. He pulled it out of his bag. His wife Sayoko, the local news reporter, was calling from her work. Strange. He answered the phone.

Trying not to arouse curiosity among co-workers who might overhear, Sayoko whispered in an frightened and urgent tone: "Ryo, how is your armor?"

"It - it's fine. Why?" Ryo glanced at his students, making sure they were alright. This was the first time Sayoko brought up the armors before.

"Are you aware of anything?"

"No."

"Maybe it's too far away. It's not here yet."

Ryo felt deeply alarmed. "Sayoko, what's going on?"

"It's all over Japan… snatching people… it's coming here… I'll be on the news talking about it in ten minutes. I have to go."

"Alright." Closing the phone, Ryo called his student's attention. He instructed his upperclassmen to lead the lower classmen into the auditorium. Then, he marched into the principle's office and without mentioning the armors, informed him of Sayoko's call. Something was approaching; their town was in danger. Soon, the entire school was packed into the auditorium, the most interior portion of the building.

All the teachers including Ryo gathered around the television to watch the news. Wildfire was still silent. The video footage came from the lower islands and revealed nether soldiers everywhere. They came, took hostages, and disappeared as the cloud/landmass moved on. It was flying too fast for the Ronin Warriors to meet or contemplate any counterattack. Ryo knew it already went past Sai and Rowen. He needed to gather his children to safety before the netherworld reached his town.

* * *

Sage heard about it on the radio as he drove his two children home. It was expected to bypass Sendai. Although there had been many battles against the dark forces since they received their new armors, their last fight with the netherworld was against Talpa in 1988. Quietly, Sage prioritized what to do next. Contact Sai and Rowen to determine what they knew. The landmass was already past them.

Keeping a careful eye on the road, Sage reached for his cell phone and turned it on. One missed call. The Mouri household. He dialed back. "Hello?"

Michiko Mouri's voice wailed: "They took Sai! They took Sai and Yoshio!"

* * *

The street was full of pleasant activity and good-spirited hustle and bustle. Hikaru and Isaru Hideo-Sanada walked down this street toward their next destination. Hikaru answered his cell phone.

"Who is it?" inquired 15-year-old Isaru, not bothering to look up from his magazine of anime and manga.

16-year-old Hikaru pulled the phone down to say: "Father."

Isaru smirked at what he assumed was a complaint over his truancy. "What should we tell him, hm? It's your fault. You're a terrible influence."

"I make more As than Bs, and I am honor roll! I earned this holiday."

Isaru continued to smirk.

Hikaru put the phone back to his ear. "Hello? Sorry, father."

Ryo's voice was urgent; worry made his tone demanding. "Where are you and your brother? You need to take shelter quick."

16-year-old Hikaru blinked, bewilderment clear across his face. "Why? What's going on?"

"Tell me where you are, and I'll come to get you. Take shelter."

Isaru heard the conversation. He wanted to laugh at the seeming absurdity. What danger? Wouldn't the police inform them of any danger? However, Hikaru searched for the street sign and told their father. They both heard Ryo say: "Good. Now, take shelter. I'll come to get you. I might be wearing my armor."

Hikaru and Isaru exchanged anxious and frightened stares. Two years earlier, Ryo and Sayoko informed them about the Ronin Warriors and Ryo's duties. It explained their stepfather's numerous and unexpected absences. Yet, the Ronin Warriors never seemed so real until now.

* * *

16-year-old Jari Rei Faun gazed out at Yokohama harbor. He had been the oldest child Kento ever adopted, and he remembered life before his family. He remembered thinking how bizarre and nerve-wracking the city was, but as the years went by, he settled in and felt at peace to know Yokohama was his home. The harbor was beautiful; the sea was beautiful; the city was beautiful. The Japanese liked to plan an education earlier than the people of his birth in America. Jari was already looking at colleges in Kanagawa prefecture. He wanted a general business degree to run the family restaurant, perhaps a minor in accounting.

His 14-year-old sister Kasumi walked over to him with food from one of the local vendors. Their 12-year-old sister trailed behind. The three of them exchanged friendly banter and wondered what to do. The day had been peaceful and lazy; they really had no plans in mind. Jari concluded, "Maybe we should wait until father and Kuyen are finished shopping. Then, we'll figure out what to do." Jari's big event - watching a sports game - would not be until later in the evening. Out of all of Kento's children, Jari was the only one who enjoyed sports as much as he did.

Kasumi replied, "That can take forever."

Jari shrugged.

Their 12-year-old sister suggested waiting for mother to finish managing the restaurant for the day. Then, they could all go to the toy store.

By then, the sinister cloud came over Yokohama. Screams broke their conversation. All three children stopped to listen and to worry. Jari ran to see the source of the commotion. His two sisters followed him. They saw armored demons chasing people and herding them into groups where they vanished. Yellow bolts of sick light reached out from the sinister cloud and took them up.

14-year-old Kasumi asked her brother, "Jari, is everything real?" She referred to their father being a Ronin Warrior and the monsters he fought; Kento informed her just a few weeks earlier.

"Yeah," replied 16-year-old Jari, a bit dismayed, "it's real."

Yokohama was in danger. The youja closest to them, seemingly unaware, had a round squat helmet that absorbed the light. The only white in his thick armor were his three bone-colored horns, curving and protruding normally from the sides and front of the helmet. The blackness of his face dipped down into his torso. His limbs and the rest of his torso were gray. He wielded a huge spiked ball and chain. His feet resembled a wolf's or hawk's given humanoid form.

Outraged at the threat to Yokohama and its people, Jari went after the youja. He grabbed a brick from someone's flowerbed and threw it at the armored demon. The brick hit its helmet. The creature turned toward the teenager. Its empty eye sockets glowed red. It lifted its spiked ball and chain, and began to swing it in the air.

Jari stared. He was ready to leap out of the way of a charge, but he sensed something else - something blasphemous to nature. He was so close that he sensed the youja gathering energy and the basic elements around him screaming in fright. Jari knew he was defenseless. He spun around to flee.

The spiked ball and chain struck the street pavement. The asphalt ripped apart. Jagged nether spikes tore through it like a giant chainsaw from underneath the ground. The energy spikes that reached a foot or two feet in the air were duller than the six-inch spikes. Jari tried to outrun the massive attack, but the sure kill caught up with him. The energy spikes cut open his feet and tossed him in the air. He flailed for a moment until he slammed into the ground; his left arm broke in at least two different places, and his left leg also felt broken.

As his mind started to clear, he heard at all-too familiar voice shout: "Hey, youja! Try attacking someone who can fight back!"

Jari recognized his father's voice. Kento Rei Faun, now Kento of Hardrock. Jari raised his head to see his father in armor. It was a strange experience to see his affable and jovial father behave fiercely and ready for battle, so unlike their life at home. The youja must have disappeared because then, Kento turned around with concern replacing the fierceness.

Kento bent down to Jari and surveyed the broken bones, "Are you injured anywhere else?"

"My bones are broken."

Kento nodded. He turned to his two daughters nearby. "Take your brother to the hospital. I need to follow these youja." He then stood up and ran off.

Watching his father leave him, Jari felt a deep-seated sense of loss but also of admiration.

* * *

Hikaru and Isaru hid in a nearby store when the dark cloud came over them, but it proved to be no place of refuge. The glass shattered, forcing them to cover their heads. The yellow sparks of nether energy, which had been increasing in strength, reached into the building and fluxuated along the ceiling. The tendrils of energy swooped down toward them. Terrified at what appeared to be the more immediate threat, Hikaru and Isaru ran out into the street.

The chaos astounded them. Cars had crashed into each other. People were being forced out of the buildings and into the street where strange pieces of ugly armors, the color of green mold, herded them together and snatched them. People vanished as a result.

Hikaru could not believe it. The monsters were taking everyone! Where was father? Before he could consider his options, the crowd of people swarmed around him and his brother. Father was not there. Hikaru and Isaru needed some way to fight back. Hikaru grabbed a round, metal trashcan lid that had fallen to the wayside. At least it was something.

Hikaru charged at a nether soldier that was at front of a crowded herd. The soldier turned to face him; individuals fled while the creature was distracted, but as Hikaru began to swing, he and his brother were taken into the floating landmass above.

* * *

Immediately after vanishing from the bridge, Yuli Yamano stood on the floating landmass. He was still posed for battle, stolen sword still in hand. The nether soldiers and youja paused to stare at him; how could an ordinary human have grabbed a nether sword? They were thoroughly bewildered. For Yuli, the presence of nether soldiers and youja brought back plenty of childhood memories, but one major difference was stark in his mind: the Ronin Warriors were not there to save him. The nether soldiers and youja continued to stare in consternation. Yuli steadied himself. He knew he stood no chance, but he would try his best.

A furious, raging voice shouted, "Seize him! Remember the rules of our Order! Minimal interference! Seize him!"

The nether soldiers hurried upon him. There was one sword clash, and then an armored hand slammed into his stomach. Yuli doubled over. Another hit to his back forced him to the ground. They took the sword, but they kept him alive.

* * *

"Dammit!" Ryo of Wildfire shouted once the floating nether landmass passed his area, taking with it the people who had been captured. His armor sensed it when it had been a mile away from his community, and the nether soldiers perished immediately from his two katana swords, but ultimately, the floating landmass proved too fast and left almost as soon as it arrived. Ryo and his team needed to regroup and plan a counterattack. First, he needed to find Hikaru and Isaru.

Survivors of the attack began to approach him. The landmass had been too fast to capture everyone. The survivors saw Ryo of Wildfire and were walking toward him. Ryo was not certain what to do. He needed to find Hikaru and Isaru; they needed to see him, and he could not take off his armor right there where his complete identity would be revealed.

"Excuse me," said one of the survivors, "Are you a Ronin Warrior?"

Ryo covered his mouth with his armored hand to hide as much of his face as he could. "Mm-mm." He turned slightly from the survivor. Following her speech at the U.N. in 1991, Mia Koji had written three books over the Ronin Warriors, the nether world, the spirit world, etc. while keeping the true identities of the Ronin Warriors a secret. Nearly everyone knew about the legend now. Many who considered them real believed the Ronin Warriors came from their own spirit dimension instead of living among humanity.

"I hope you can save the ones who have been taken. We would have been taken captive, but these two boys distracted the demons long enough for us to escape. I pray you can save them."

Two boys? Ryo asked, "What did they look like?"


	2. Chapter 2

**When self-awareness returned to Yuli Yamano, so did the awareness of the sharp pains on his torso. His hands had been bound behind his back, and he had been forced into a sitting position. How someone could sit while being unconscious was beyond his understanding. His thoughts went in this order: he had been captured by youja and nether soldiers; Ryo and the others were nowhere nearby; his daughter, Eiko had been taken from him.**

**Yuli was quite surprised the nether soldiers had not killed him outright. He surveyed his surroundings - a dry, nondescript and drab room as if someone simply needed an extra chamber but could not find a purpose for it and lost interest in figuring out the purpose. He sighed and waited for something to happen. A youja entered. It was a small demon, actually about a foot shorter than him, with a helmet designed like a cat's but earless with spikes along the sides.**

**The youja spoke, "Out of all the captives, you are the only one to have grabbed a nether soldier's sword and wield it against him."**

**Yuli was silent, but he thought, 'well, thank you, Ryo. Thank you, Sage.' He doubted he could have accomplished that without their influence.**

"**It was very interesting and unexpected." The youja seemed to want an answer.**

"**You took my daughter. What else was I supposed to do?"**

"**We took many people's daughters, but only you fought back. How were you able to fight back?"**

**Yuli shrugged. "Well, it was easy since you obviously never expected some sort of resistance."**

"**What do you know of the Ronin Warriors?"**

**Yuli paused. Trying not to reveal anything, his expression went completely blank. He remembered all of Rowen's advice throughout the years. "I have no idea what you mean. Samurai, ninja, ronin… they're all warriors of some sort. I want my daughter returned to me."**

"**You must know something of the Ronin Warriors."**

**If Yuli told the truth, he would be dead. Nervous, he rambled, trying to keep check on his words. "Are you talking about Sengoku ronins? The 47 Ronin? Sengoku ronins… well, back then, everyone was little more than starving beggars; either you had swords or you didn't. I guess the ninjas never starved because they stole food from everyone else. The 47 Ronin, eh, the story is alright. I never liked the way the leader of the 47 -"**

"**Enough!" shouted the youja, annoyed.**

**Yuli glared. "You took my daughter from me. I want my daughter returned to me. I need to know if she is alive and well."**

**The youja spun around and stormed off, leaving Yuli to lower his head and contemplate what would happen next. More than likely, he would be tortured and his spirit would be fed to the netherworld. It was rather pathetic, the more he thought about it. He had survived the nether creatures countless of times during one summer of his childhood only to become a victim as an adult.**

**______________**

**Ryo knocked on the door to the Koji mansion. Kento opened the door and let him enter. Ryo asked, "Is everyone here?"**

"**Sai won't be coming. Michiko called Sage right after it went by. Both Sai and Yoshio were taken. There wasn't even a fight."**

**Ryo stared, incredulous. Yoshio was only six years old, and how could Sai be captured without a fight? "And the others?"**

"**Sage is watching the news. Rowen is helping Mia search for bugs; someone tried to hack into her computer twice last week, so she's feeling kinda paranoid. Can't say I blame her. There is a list of all the places that were affected. Ryo, it left Japan."**

**Ryo placed a hand to his forehead. He was starting to feel dizzy. First, his two stepsons were taken; then, he learned his friend and ally Sai with six-year-old Yoshio were also taken, and now it left Japan? "Kento, I need to sit down."**

**Kento nodded and helped him to the couch, opposite side of Sage. News reports were coming in constantly. The floating landmass, roughly the area of a large city, had flown across Japan, snatched people at random, and was now over the Pacific ocean toward the United States. Ryo leaned forward and clenched his hands together. He wondered what he could do. This strategy was unlike anything the nether world devised in the past. He thought of Sai and Yoshio, of Hikaru and Isaru. How could he save them when the demons were in the sky and above another continent?**

**Moments went by. Ryo buried his head in his hands. The news report began to repeat itself. He needed to do something. He realized he had forgotten to ask how his other friends were doing. "I'm sorry, guys. How were things in Sendai or Yokohama?"**

**Sage replied, "it completely bypassed Sendai.."**

**Kento said, "It went through Yokohama, alright. One of the youja attacked Jari, but he'll be fine."**

**Concerned, Ryo tried to straighten his posture. "He wasn't hurt too badly, was he?"**

"**Nah. Mainly some broken bones. Kids break their bones all the time." There was a flat and dull quality in Kento's voice; although he pretended to be nonchalant about it, he was anguished deep down that anyone would commit violence against his family.**

**Rowen's voice entered the conversation, "Only your children break their bones, Kento, and they have quick a knack for it."**

**Ryo, Kento, and Sage turned to see Rowen walk into the living room and double-check some areas. For almost five years in a row, Kento had at least one child with a broken bone - first Jari broke his arm when he fell from a tree; Kasumi broke her leg when she rode her bike through construction just for the adventure; their younger sister broke something playing a game up and down the stairs; for one year there were no broken bones, but then Kuyen and his younger brother broke their limbs together practicing Kung Fu on a trampoline. In addition to breaking limbs, this last incident broke Kento's typical easy-going "kids will be kids" attitude. He banned those two boys from martial arts ever again and bought a second play station so they would not be bored.**

**As Rowen left the living room again, Ryo followed him Rowen noticed this and said for want of a conversation: "Hey, Ryo, can you believe someone tried to hack into Mia's computer again, twice last week?"**

**Ryo nodded. Yes, unfortunately, he believed it. He doubted human activity had anything to do with the nether landmass, but he say nothing. They could not discuss the Ronin Warriors or their plans to protect humanity until they were certain no one was listening or watching their conversations.**

**Ryo followed Rowen from one location to another. Ever since Mia spoke out at the U.N about the strange phenomena over Shinjuku, she became more vocal about world issues and published three books about the Ronin Warriors, humanity, and the spirit worlds. In addition, she also spoke out about various political and social issues such as world peace and ending poverty. This attracted hordes of positive and negative attention. **

**The negative attention was mainly death threats and hate mail, but there had also been at least two stalkers, ten house vandalism attempts, innumerable instances of people throwing things (anti-war/pro-peace protesters threw rocks at her car and slashed her tires when she spoke about militarizing the UN to end genocide), and plenty of hackers with some conspiracy theorists mixed in. More than once, the Ronin Warriors risked losing everything from vandals, stalkers, and hackers. In 2003, one man had hacked into Mia's cell phone and recorded her phone calls and emails; this violated some of her most personal moments and nearly cost the Ronin Warriors their anonymity, deeply endangering the mortal world. The police caught the man while investigating a murder and reported their findings to Mia. This stalker/hacker had also experimented with sorcery and was collecting information about the Ronin Warriors. Rowen then began to search for hidden listening devices or cameras whenever they needed to stay at Mia's.**

"**Once I'm done," whispered Rowen close to Ryo's ear, "Mia and her friends will pool their resources together and determine how long the landmass will take to return to Japan."**

**The positive attention that Mia received from her books and speeches was subtle but more pervasive, coming in the form of inspirational letters and emails. People loved Mia Koji for her work. Some of her books and speeches encouraged them to become better individuals with good spirits. Charitable organizations wanted her to speak at their events. In fact, most communities considered her an inspiration for establishing their own frameworks for promoting and enacting good behavior such as donating to charity, tending to parks, helping a neighbor, mentoring or simply having a positive outlook. One of Mia's books was taught alongside other authors' in a college course over Japanese mythology. In fact, a local professor-turned-politician who had coincidentally been among Talpa's captives in 1988 wanted to create an entire curriculum based upon Mia's writings.**

**Following Rowen, Ryo glanced into one of the rooms and saw Mia leisurely typing on her computer. More than likely, she was conversing with one of her eclectic friends she made after she entered the international stage. They were people who had been branded "eccentrics" like herself, and they came from all over the world - Brazil, United States, France, Germany, etc.**

**______________**

"**Great Lord Soretsu!" shouted the spiked cat-helmet youja when he saw one of his leaders approaching. "I am grateful you can tend to my query. We have a problem with … a human." The small youja rubbed his clawed hands together nervously. He had never dealt with humans before and had been quite content to ignore their existence altogether aside from nether feeding.**

**Tall with a medium build, Soretsu seemed to tower over this smaller youja. His armor was a midnight blue and a dark grey that merged and deepened to the point of becoming black. He had no forehead – one giant flat spike grew directly out of a deep ridge immediately above his two small eyes on his long narrow face. Two other spikes also grew, one on each side above the "ears." **

**The smaller youja bowed humbly and tilted his head to see Hishige standing a little behind their superior. He hoped Hishige would not criticize him for caution.**

**Soretsu inquired in a deep voice, "What is it, Inoka?"**

"**We have a problem with a human. He managed to grab a nether soldier's sword and wield it against him. I demanded he be captured and kept alive for the sake of minimal interference. I wish to follow our Order's path in the most complete manner possible."**

**Soretsu nodded, approving.**

**Hishige scoffed, "Bah! If he attacked a nether soldier, why not kill him or let the other soldiers have some fun? A stupid human youth through a stone at me, so I used my sure kill against him. He will never mess with the youja again! Some interference is unavoidable, and we have already demonstrated that with our pre-emptive strike!"**

**Soretsu folded his arms together thoughtfully and placed a hand to his chin. The ultimate rule of their Order resulted in many problems with humans left open to interpretation. Both Hishige and Inoka were in the right for their then-immediate situations. Soretsu said to Hishige, "Now that he is captive and no longer a threat, I see no reason to torment him. He can be released into the general population."**

**Inoka continued quickly, "Well, the - the problem is more than that. He says we took his daughter from him, and he wants her returned. Are we - are we… minimal interference…"**

**Inoka sensed that he had embarrassed Soretsu and Hishige. He felt humiliated as a result. The silence seemed long and unbearable.**

**Finally, Soretsu said, "We have already broken apart families. Some interference is unavoidable, but minimal interference…"**

**If Soretsu had been human, he would have cringed visibly. Hishige lowered his head in shame. Hishige growled, "This situation is absurd for a youja to even contemplate! Toss him in with the other captives and let him find her himself. We gain our strength from human hate and fear. Why should we facilitate a bond that would ultimately work against us?"**

**Soretsu remained silent. Their Order had no established protocol for this situation. It was wholly unexpected. His voice was strained: "Our Order was founded because we will always have plenty of hate and fear to feed from, regardless of what other emotions humanity might have. Minimal interference means leaving many human organizations intact. We destroy as little as possible because humanity will always be capable of immense destruction and cruelty." Another long, embarrassed silence. "Minimal interference. Find his spawn and leave them with the general populace."**

**______________**

**Sai kept one hand in his pocket and a firm grasp on his armor orb. In his other hand, he held onto Yoshio's to comfort his six-year-old son. He glanced around at the mass of captives. There were no nether spirits and few nether soldiers. The only time he saw a nether soldier was when they rounded up the captives. At first, Sai thought they would try to siphon off spirit energy, so he had been ready to fight; instead, they were herded to a platform where it appeared as though there would be a speech of some sort.**

**A small cat-like youja stepped up on the platform. A human with a familiar face in his late twenties or early thirties was beside him. The man made a concerted effort not to look at the youja; he surveyed the crowd. From his expression, Sai knew the familiar man was uncomfortable and ill-ease next to the demon.**

**The youja raised his arms to speak to the crowd. "Is there an Eiko Yamano among you? Her father, Yuli Yamano, wishes to find her."**

"**Yuli?" Sai wondered aloud. "What is he doing here?" He heard a little girl shouting for her daddy. There was movement in the crowd. "Come, Yoshio, let's go see Yuli."**

**Squirming through the crowd, Sai saw the man bend down. The little girl's cries stopped; apparently, they found each other. The youja then kicked Yuli off the platform and walked away.**

"**Yuli! Are you alright?"**

"**Sai? I never expected to find you here - like this, anyway. What happened?"**

"**I don't know. One moment I was running to grab Yoshio and take him inside, but the next moment we found ourselves here."**

**The yells of two teenage boys halted their conversation. They stopped to see a 16-year-old and 15-year-old running to meet them.**

**Sai asked, "Who might you be?"**

**The eldest one replied, "Hikaru and Isaru Hideo-Sanada." Ryo's two stepsons.**

"**Oh, you're Ryo's two boys! I've heard so much about you! Well, let's see if we can speak someplace more private. I don't like being so close to where the youja had been."**

**As they followed Sai away from the platform, Yuli surveyed the area that appeared through the dispersing crowd. There was no true horizon, merely endless sky. Nether soldiers and nether spirits were conspicuously absent. Mounds of trash and scrap metal were scattered here and there. "They stole a garbage heap?"**

"**Yes, apparently. Don't ask me to explain it because I can't. Everyone seems to be picking out their own mounds. I actually have one picked out near the edge of this thing. We're over water. Hikaru, Isaru, was Ryo with you? Do you know where he is?"**

**Hikaru shook his head. "Father called, told us to take shelter and wait for him, but the shelter wasn't very safe. We never saw him."**

"**I guess we're on our own here, then."**

**They reached Sai's mound where they could talk more privately. Sai placed his hands in his pockets a bit helplessly. He glanced about for signs of nether creatures or youja. There were none. "Yoshio and I have been here a few hours. I tried to get as close as I could to the castle in the center, and I found at least ten different youja. As far as I can tell, they have no idea I'm a Ronin Warrior, which is good for now. No one is in any immediate danger, so we simply need to wait for the others."**

**Hikaru asked, "Ronin Warrior? So, you're like father?"**

**Sai glanced around again. Yuli also backed away for further lookout duty. Sai replied, "Yes, I - I have Torrent."**

"**What about you, Yamano-san? Do you also have an armor?"**

**Yuli smiled in appreciation. "I wish. No, I just tag along. I always tag along. I never planned to be here this time, but here I am, tagging along again."**

**______________**

**As soon as Rowen finished checking the mansion so that no one could overhear, Mia gathered together via internet her international group of friends. They worked together to access satellite information and pinpoint the trajectory of the landmass. The conclusion was startling. "With the rate it is going," said Mia, "it will have circled the world and be back in Japan within four days."**

"**Four days?!" Ryo was horrified. "Anything can happen in four days!" Sai and Yoshio… Hikaru and Isaru… all those people…**

**Sage inquired, "Is there anything we can do in the meantime?"**

**Rowen said, "We can train and practice. There is no way we can get to the landmass, but we need to be ready for when it comes."**

**______________**

**Yuli checked his watch. Seven hours. They had been held captive for seven hours. He glanced at Eiko and Yoshio. Eiko was teaching Yoshio many of the song-and-clap games to pass the time. Boredom replaced fear, but tension lingered. Sai went every hour to look at the castle in the center and determine if the youja were planning something with the captives. Nothing. Hikaru and Isaru wanted to follow Sai, but after some arguing, they were grudgingly convinced to remain so they stood around with Yuli and waited each time for Sai to return.**

'**By now, I would be in home in bed next to my wife,' thought Yuli. He turned to see Sai returning yet again. "Any change?"**

**Sai shook his head. "Not really. In fact, there are fewer youja than before. I noticed more sentries patrolling the castle, and there weren't any sentries a couple hours ago. It's as if they are getting ready for bed or something."**

"**I believe it. It is Eiko's bed time. Yoshio has been trying to nap on the dirt."**

**Sai lowered his head. His shoulders slumped. He never wanted his family to become involved with his duties as a Ronin Warrior.**

**Looking straight ahead toward the edge of the landmass, Yuli said, "I think we're over the Pacific. With how fast this thing is moving, we would have been over China by now."**

**Sai turned his head to examine a trash/scrap mound. "Many of the people are starting to build their own shelters. I wonder if that is why the youja bought over these mounds - so that we could have material to build something. The mounds weren't here when Yoshio and I were first taken."**

"**Think we should start to build something?"**

"**I don't see why not."**

**In a few moments, Sai and Yuli were bracing up a large piece of house siding while eight-year-old Eiko carried chairs over to lean against the siding and keep it upright. Yuli believed Sai was right. The mounds were brought over so that the captives could build their own shantytowns. Everything appeared too convenient. The siding had been part of standard demolition as Yuli remembered working through his high school years in a construction/demolition company. Then, they went to pick a large sheet of rusted metal with paint peeling off, probably from an old fishing boat.**

**Yuli glanced at Hikaru and Isaru Hideo-Sanada standing indolently off to the side. "We would appreciate your help over here."**

**Isaru snapped, "I can't believe you're giving up! If father were here, he would march straight through that castle, free everyone, and turn those - those youja into a rusted, flaming heap!"**

**Sai replied, "We're not giving up." He tried to sound sympathetic, but some irritation was heard in his tone. He was mainly tired.**

**Yuli also replied to Isaru, "You're right. That is exactly what Ryo would do. Shame he isn't here right now. We could certainly use his fighting skills. And Sage's, and Rowen's, and Kento's. But they're not here, so are you going to help us or what?"**

**Isaru crossed his arms. "I'm going to wait for father!"**

**Raising his voice to match Isaru's, Hikaru added, "Father will be here to save us. You'll see."**

**Grinning, Yuli shook his head at their statements. He never doubted Ryo for an instant. In fact, to this day, no one believed more in than Ryo of Wildfire than did Yuli Yamano. To this day, Yuli had the strongest reasons to continue idolizing Ryo and the other Ronin Warriors; his life and humanity have been rescued more times than he could count. However, age and wisdom tapered his outward idolization.**

**As soon as Eiko placed a chair against the sheet metal, Yuli began to release his grip. The metal proceeded to fall atop the chair. Yuli quickly grabbed the metal and held it back up. The rusted, peeling remnant of a ship was much too heavy to be supported by chairs, but Eiko could not carry over anything else. At least she tried to help.**

**He and Sai looked at each other's expressions, and they shared the same thought: how could they brace up this side by themselves? Soon, they heard/felt something scrape against the metal. Hikaru had found a wooden beam broken from previous construction and leaned it against the metal side. Hikaru said, "It's better than doing nothing."**

**---------------**

**Crickets chirped outside the Koji mansion. Ryo lay flat on his back, unable to sleep. The evening had been among the most agonizing of his entire life. Rowen had contacted Michiko Mouri who fortunately had her mother and Sai's sister with her for comfort. Kento and Jari shared a bit of friendly banter, but Ryo could tell Kento felt terrible inside and that Jari felt abandoned, even though the teenager knew it was for a good reason. Rowen hid his feelings well, but Sage sounded regretful as he talked with his wife and two children. When Ryo called his wife, he had no idea how he sounded; he tried to present a cheerful tone to his daughter and son, but he felt stilted inside and fake. He hated telling Sayoko that they needed to wait before they could rescue their eldest sons. Ryo wished he were with Sayoko to comfort her.**

**And now, there he was with three of his friends in the guestroom of the Koji mansion. He turned to look at them, sleeping. Although they had stayed in contact through phone calls, letters, and emails, they rarely gathered together except for a battle. Ryo missed the old days and wished they had not drifted so far apart, yet he loved his current life and did not wish to lose that either. He sighed and turned his head back to stare at the ceiling. In three days, the landmass would be back in Japan.**

* * *

**Footsteps and horse's hooves approached their makeshift shelter. Sai glanced at each of the occupants. "It sounds like a nether soldier. Yoshio, stay with Yuli." Placing a hand in his pocket, Sai rose to his feet and left to face the soldier.**

**There were in fact two weak armor demons riding horses that pulled large bamboo carts. "How many individuals are in your company?"**

**Sai gave him a long, suspicious, sideways glare. From where he stood, he examined the carts but saw no humans inside. The question seemed harmless by itself. "Six."**

**The nether soldier then lowered himself from his horse, went to the large bamboo cart and pulled out what appeared to be bowls. The demon handed them to Sai. Sai counted them. Sure enough. Six bowls. He turned to see Yuli watching the exchange. He held one up to show the young man. The shock was evident on his face, and Yuli had to brace himself against the metal wall. What type of nether invasion was this?**

**Within a few moments, another nether soldier with a horse pulling another bamboo cart arrived. The cart contained large jars full of cooked rice. They each obtained a bowlful, returned to their makeshift shelter, and stared in disbelief.**

"**Do you think it's poisoned?" inquired Yuli.**

**Sai replied, "No, they have no reason to poison us. They'd gain nothing. Better for them to target our souls instead."**

**Eiko asked, "Is it okay to eat?" By then, eleven hours had passed since their capture, many more hours since they last had something in their stomachs. Her father did not know what to say, but Sai answered "I suppose so."**

**Scowling, disgruntled, Yuli clenched his fingernails against the side of the bowl as everyone else proceeded to shovel the food into their mouths. Soon, they were coughing, hacking, and spitting. Yuli was not at all surprised at that.**

**Hikaru doubled over and placed his bowl on the ground. "It's half-cooked! They barely cooked this at all! Tastes like chalk."**

**-----------------**

**The next morning, Ryo, Rowen, Kento, and Sage put themselves through an intense training regimen in preparation for the floating landmass's return to Japan. After several hours of sparing and other exercise, they took an hour break for snacks, news, and some phone calls home. Ryo simply watched the news during this time; his daughter and son attended school, and Sayoko went to work. Fortunately, Mia had arranged her television system to pick up Ryo's local channels, so he could see his wife deliver the news reports. Both Rowen and Mia agreed that they needed to bring the landmass down to earth somehow, but neither could figure out how.**

**Then, they resumed intense training for several more hours. By late afternoon or early evening, they were thoroughly exhausted and sweaty. Sayoko Sanada had a special report about the effects of the invasion and the provisions being taken to care for the children who were left behind but whose parents were among the captured. Ryo felt guilty on account of Hikaru and Isaru. Just yesterday morning, his biggest concern was how to deal with Isaru's recurring truancy. Both Hikaru and Isaru had been ideal students and high-achievers with essentially the same grades. When he was in middle school and Hikaru started Junior High, Hikaru signed up for journalism classes and worked for the school paper, which permitted him to take off class time for his papers and articles. Hikaru needed to visit the mall to write about a new store opening and asked Isaru to come along for fun. Isaru skipped class to be with his elder brother, and thus began Isaru's rather benign delinquency. The more achieved Hikaru became, the worse Isaru's grades fell.**

**Ryo's mind went back to his wife's news report. He wondered how Bana-chan and Hiroyuki were handling the situation. They were much too young to care for themselves. Who would take them home from school? Ryo's job as soccer coach gave him the perfect schedule. When other battles interrupted his life, he counted upon Hikaru and Isaru to take them home. Sayoko often started her work two hours before school and ended it three hours after.**

**White Blaze grabbed Ryo's wrist and pulled gently with a soft growl that meant "come, follow."**

"**Hm, what is it, White Blaze?"**

**Rowen asked, "Something going on?"**

**Ryo stood up. "I don't know. White Blaze wants me to see something." Sayoko's news report had only started. As he walked around, behind the couch, he told his friends, "Watch my wife for me, okay?"**

**Kento grinned. When Ryo left the room, he commented, "I love the way Ryo says that."**

**Rowen added, "I know. He's so innocent."**

**------------------**

**Ryo followed White Blaze to the door. Some immediately knocked - four forceful knocks. Who did White Blaze know was coming? Ryo opened the door.**

"**Wildfire! You've aged considerably! You are Ryo of Wildfire, are you not?" Kale and Sekhmet stood at the entrance. They had not changed in the slightest and were in fact younger physically than the Ronin Warriors. Kale did the speaking: "May we enter? We have important matters to discuss concerning the nether world."**

**Soon, the two former warlords and four of the Ronin Warriors sat at a large table together. Kale said, "I am certain you are aware of youja in the mortal world."**

**Not removing eye contact, Ryo nodded. "It left Japan."**

"**Torrent is not among you. Hm…"**

**Rowen leaned forward with his arms on the table. "What do you know about this floating nether landmass? You have to know something."**

**Sekhmet was rather silent, infuriated, with his arms crossed. Kale spoke calmly and authoritatively: "Only that this invasion was unexpected. These youja have a strong belief system; their beliefs prevent them from ever attacking humanity."**

**Ryo was skeptical. "So, they actually care about humanity?" He thought the concept was absurd, and his thoughts were evident in his tone.**

"**Oh, no, they have a great disdain and disgust for humanity, but they believe in isolationism first and foremost. They are well-aware that their existence comes from the evils inherent within human nature, but they are also well-aware of human duality. This awareness is at the heart of their isolationism. Because of their beliefs, we never expected them to invade the mortal world."**

"**But they did. Why?"**

**Unease and embarrassment quieted Kale. Having spent twenty years preventing nether invasions and halting youja with ambitions similar to Talpa's, the arrival of the floating landmass was a horrible humiliation.**

**Sekhmet spoke up gruffly, "We don't know what their reasons or motivations are. We knew they were planning something, so Dais went for reconnaissance."**

**Ryo noticed then that the former Warlord of Illusion was not present. "Where is he?"**

"**That is when their land disappeared from the nether world. Dais is trapped there, and we cannot sense his armor."**

**Author's Note: Hey, everyone, I hope you are enjoying this fanfic! It is fun to write. Please check out my profile for updates on this and my other projects!**


	3. Chapter 3

Sleep became Dais's worst enemy. Sleep and hunger. For two days, he suffered from a shortage of both. He needed to maintain his illusions and his security on a near-constant basis. He never had to keep up an illusion for so long - a few hours were typical for a spying mission, enough time to discover the necessary information; a few minutes for a battle, enough time to confuse and defeat his enemy. Two days? He was thoroughly exhausted.

He should not have trusted Kale's so-called 'knowledge' of these youja. Kale was wrong. These youja were indeed a threat to the mortal world. The nature of this new threat was altogether different from what anyone expected. These youja clearly despised the Ronin Warriors for reasons unknown and slashed numerous effigies of them, yet they held no interest in victimizing humanity.

The night after the invasion, Dais gained a bearing on this landmass's location. It was not to his liking. Nether spirits kept the landmass afloat; the youja never relied upon human sorcery. More than likely, they were somewhere in the center of the castle's bottom level. This spell necessitated a large number of spirits, and even then, it might require them to attain stronger sources of power, perhaps sentience such as Badamon. The second day, Dais hid underneath a small storage building that held nether soldier's weapons. There, he decided to sleep and wait until the next nighttime to find the location of the nether spirits.

* * *

Isaru Hideo-Sanada awoke to the crying of Yoshio Mouri huddled against the wall of their makeshift shelter. The boys legs were tucked close to his chest with his arms wrapped around them. He heard the voices of Sai and Yuli. From the calm and rational way they sounded, he assumed they were trying to figure out their situation and to plan their course of action if any. Eiko was somewhat huddled, but more bored and lethargic than anything else.

Isaru turned to his brother Hikaru, awake and contemplative. "Isn't it something that they seem to be the same age as Bana-chan and Hiroyuki?" He looked at Eiko, "How old are you?" The answer was eight, a year younger than Bana-chan. He asked Yoshio, "How old are you, hm?"

"Six."

"Six! That's the same age as my younger brother, Hiroyuki Sanada! I guess that makes us like brothers then, hm? And then Eiko is also our sister!"

Yoshio stopped crying. He lifted his head up, his expression as thoughtful as his age group would allow.

Isaru laid down, propping himself up on his knees and elbows, to be eye-level with the young boy. "Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

Yoshio nodded. "I've a younger sister named Kaede, and mommy and daddy say I'll have another one soon. Mommy's big."

Isaru turned his head toward the entryway where Sai and Yuli discussed the day. He and Hikaru shared the same thought. Poor Mouri-san. Mouri-san behaved calm and patient in front of everyone, but inside, he was frustrated, anxious, and worried over his involuntary abandonment of his pregnant wife. Isaru looked at Eiko. "How about you?"

Eiko shook his head. "No, just me. I wish I had some brothers and sisters, but dad says there's nothing wrong with being an only child. He was an only child when he was a kid too."

"Psht. Your old man doesn't know what he's missing."

"He's not an old man."

"Sorry." Isaru frowned. He went back to Yoshio, same age as his half-brother Hiroyuki. He remembered Hiroyuki's first days of school a few months back. Their father had the customary first-of-year paperwork, so while Ryo left early to tackle his ungodly burden, Hikaru and Isaru stayed to see Bana-chan and Hiroyuki off to school. "What grade are you in, Yoshio?"

"Mommy and daddy say I have to wait for first grade 'cause of my birthday."

Isaru nodded. He ran out of conversation ideas.

Yoshio began to whine, "I want my mommy… I'm hungry…"

Isaru leapt to his feet and proceeded to the entryway. The sky was unnatural in its omnipresence. He saw further into the floating landmass clouds creating pockets of fog scattered throughout the island. If he wanted to figure anything out, he needed to navigate through the fog. He began to walk past Sai and Yuli.

Yuli inquired, "Where are you going?"

Arms swinging out at his sides, Isaru spun around. "To meet the neighbors, of course! We're supposed to be all cozy here, right?"

Yuli frowned in disapproval of the teenager's sarcasm. Sai advised the youth, "Don't go too far. Please stay close."

"Sure. Whatever."

The area was eerily quiet as Isaru left the little makeshift hovel. All the customary sounds familiar to his life were absent - no cars, no radios, no steps upon pavement, no busy conversations from the hustle and bustle, no traffic signals. His mind tried to adjust by expecting other sounds, but there were no birds, no crickets, no wind, no rustle of the leaves, no streams, no frogs nor lizards nor flies. He suddenly wished he were hiking again with his family; his father loved nature, as did all of the Hideo-Sanada and Sanada children, and little Hiroyuki was old enough for such an excursion last summer.

Hearing bits of conversation, the intermittent small talk of people getting to know each other, Isaru discerned that the "neighbors" were a mixed collection of people who happened to be together at the wrong place at the wrong time. He waved at the people outside their own shanty. "Hello! Name's Isaru Hideo-Sanada. Do you know when we're gonna get breakfast around here?"

One of the men replied, "I wouldn't ask these armor creatures about food if I were you. Last night, they killed some who complained about uncooked rice."

"Really?" Isaru stared, horrified, toward the castle. Death for such a trivial matter!

The man nodded. "My wife and I saw it happen. That's why we decided to move over here."

"Well, ah - thanks for the advice!" Isaru ran back toward the hovel. He immediately got into Sai's face and pointed at the neighbor's shanty. "Did you know they killed people last night? These - youja - killed people!"

Yuli glared at Sai.

Sai had a mournful expression. He lowered his head shamefully. "I sensed something last night. It - it woke me up, honestly, but the sense was gone as soon as it came." He moved his downcast eyes to see Yuli's disappointment. "What was I supposed to do? What can I do?"

* * *

Kale sat with his arms crossed on the couch. He watched men and women give reports about the status of the landmass. He only paid half-attention, however. What had compelled Soretsu and the others to invade the mortal world? Kale had the most experience negotiating with the isolationist Only World Order. Immediately after the defeat of Talpa, Soretsu and his colleagues demanded the removal of all humans who Talpa had employed. The situation had bordered on violence, but over the years agreements were made and everyone calmed down. For over a decade, there existed some level of peace.

Kale turned to see Sekhmet glaring at him. Familiar with his comrade's expressions, he saw worry and concern in his comrade's eyes, but Sekhmet channeled that feeling into a stronger expression of an angry warning and accusation. Someone not familiar with Sekhmet's expressions would see only animosity. If Dais died, Kale would bear the responsibility.

Rowen tried to break the tension. He pointed at the piece of technology, "That is a television. We use it to -"

Sekhmet interrupted rudely, "We understand what it is and what its uses are. We have something similar in the netherworld called the 'nether mirror' Talpa utilized this mirror to spy on you Ronins when he invaded."

Rowen's eyes widened, and his mouth opened somewhat in a silent 'oh.' He felt rather put off. Perturbed by their indifference or acceptance of modern technology, he walked into another room where Kento, Sage, and Ryo played an idle game of cards. Rowen asked Kento, "How did your little venture on ebay go?" Through other's insistence, Kento sold via ebay the trampoline that Kuyen and his younger brother broke their limbs upon.

Kento's response, "that place is crazy," made Rowen feel better.

* * *

Bored and not knowing what to do, Sai and Yuli paced, waited, and then paced some more until their boredom deepened from too much pacing and waiting.

"What do you think Ryo and the others are doing?" asked Yuli. He tried to remember the last time he saw them. Although they stayed in contact more or less, they almost never saw each other on a regular basis.

"Oh, I bet they're preparing for this thing to come back to Japan. I doubt this will head back to the netherworld by now, and there is only one other place to go."

Yuli nodded. "Think we should walk over to the main castle? Maybe we can learn something about who these youja are and what they want."

"That's a good idea. It wouldn't hurt to try."

"It's what Rowen and Sage would do."

Sai smiled wistfully. "We've taught you well, haven't we?"

"Definitely."

They walked over to Hikaru and Isaru.

Yuli spoke directly to Hikaru, "Sai and I are going to get check out the main castle and see if we can learn something. Eiko and Yoshio need someone to look after them, okay?"

Hikaru nodded.

Yuli placed a hand on Hikaru's shoulder. "Good. I'm counting on you to watch over them." He looked at Isaru, "Stay out of trouble, alright?"

The two adults walked off, leaving Isaru very much ticked off.

Isaru glared at Yuli. His face was red from anger and indignation. Walking away, the adults could not see how much he was upset. Isaru's voice was full of contempt. "I can't be believe he said that."

Hikaru shrugged, not knowing how to respond to his brother. Isaru was never a social outcast, yet he did have people who viewed him negatively while Hikaru was always well-liked.

Isaru's scowl turned into a snarl as he spoke, "Yamano-san's like all those teachers in school! They think I'm useless, good-for-nothing. Father would have treated me with more respect!"

"You know... Eiko and Yoshio are the same age as Bana-chan and Hiroyuki..."

When Hikaru began high school, his numerous activities prevented him from spending time with his siblings. Isaru never applied for extra school activities and thus in this way lost his best friend. Isaru was then thirteen at the time; Hiroyuki was three and Bana-chan was six. After finding himself lonely for weeks, Isaru dedicated his time without Hikaru toward his two younger siblings. He saw Bana-chan off to school and took her shopping on occasion. He bathed and clothed his helpless toddler brother. Later, they played action-figure games. He made certain they both ate a good breakfast and bought a good lunch. When necessary, he willingly babysat and canceled time with school friends. The parents of his siblings' friends entrusted them to baby-sit their children. His teachers considered him an immature and irresponsible delinquent while the other parents thought he was an ideal role model for their own children. His father's and mother's attitudes were between the two.

* * *

Sai and Yuli passed nether soldiers guarding the castle's defensive brick wall. The soldiers glanced at them but never moved to attack. Sai whistled to steady his nerves. Every new experience defied their expectations of youja and the nether world. The two humans noted the closed gate and the layout of the castle from where they stood. Still, the nether soldiers did nothing. They decided to split up and try to peer over the brick wall.

Yuli found a poorly-guarded spot that showed visible signs of weathering but was nonetheless solid. Able to gain hand-holds and foot-holds, he climbed up to the top where he braced himself up with his arms on the flat top of the wall. What he saw surprised him more than it should have.

Powerful youja practiced killing animated-clay effigies of the Ronin Warriors. Other youja cheered while awaiting their turn. The effigies wore the old armors, which had not existed for the past twenty years. After each set was vanquished, a new set took its place.

'What do these demons want?' wondered Yuli. 'They don't want the armors. Otherwise, they would have searched and figured out the old armors are gone. They clearly don't seem interested in an actual invasion. If they don't want the armors and don't want to invade, why do they want to kill the Ronin Warriors?'

A now-familiar voice interrupted his thoughts: "Mortal! What is your business on the gateway wall?"

Startled, Yuli released his grip and fell onto the ground. His yelp of fright turned into a yelp of pain upon impact. He slowly rose to his feet. the same youja who questioned him yesterday had spotted him and stood nearby. This youja now laughed at his fall.

"I - I -" Yuli paused, wincing to rub his leg. He was doubled over, the wind knocked out of him. "I was coming to find you actually."

The youja stopped laughing and seemed to be intrigued. Yuli did not know how the youja seemed intrigued, considering its face was an immobile helmet, but he somehow just knew its emotion.

"I wanted to thank you for reuniting me with my daughter."

"Hmph. I, Inoka, follow the rules of my Order. Without rules, there is Chaos."

"Inoka? That sounds like a pretty human name. You know, you're a nice youja."

An evil red light promptly emerged in Inoka's eye sockets. He raised his arms in outrage.

Still sore, Yuli thought it best to pretend humility. He knelt down. "I meant no harm. I am quite new here and wish to learn about this place."

The red light vanished.

Another youja arrived. "What is the matter, Inoka?"

"This human wishes to learn from us. I caught him looking over the castle wall."

The other youja turned to Yuli. "So, you saw us practicing against the Ronin Warriors?"

Yuli feigned ignorance. "Who? Is that what those were?"

"Animated effigies, but yes, that is what they look like."

"What do they want?"

The two youja glanced at each other. Should they answer?

Inoka replied, "Chaos must be defeated."

Yuli looked up curiously. It seemed such a strange thing for a youja to say, almost noble and protective. "Chaos... sounds pretty bad." Then, he commented more to himself, "kinda like it's dangerous to the mortal world, even."

Inoka heard this, of course, and spoke in jest, "I suppose you wish to help us, then?"

"I - I suppose so." What?

"Then, you will be a strong ally against the Ronin Warriors!" Seeing Yuli's panicked expression, the two youja promptly burst into laughter.

* * *

"Did you learn anything?" Yuli asked Sai after they finished their search.

Sai shook his head. "A youja stopped me before I could go very far. He never threatened me with violence or anything."

"What did he say?"

"He said that the Ronin Warriors forgot their place and were interfering. He also said all the youja here are against interference."

Yuli nodded. Interesting. He placed his hands in his pockets and kept his head low. "They believed they were going against a creature called Chaos. I think they believe the Ronin Warriors are responsible for it."

"A creature called Chaos? I've never heard of anything like it."

Yuli shrugged. "It makes no sense to me, either."

* * *

Dais awoke to the sound of a cart. The nether soldiers were preparing to feed the captives. Security might be lax. A perfect time to pinpoint the source of the nether spirits and to determine how to bring this landmass down into an ocean. He summoned an illusion to disguise himself and pulled himself out of his hiding place. He felt somewhat better, but he needed to hurry before he succumbed to fatigue again. Two days without any nourishment and with scant sleep were taking its toll. Soon, he was inside the castle and walking down the hallways.

Despite their sour and grumbling stomachs, none of the group could eat. Sai, Yuli, and Yoshio sat on one side of the shanty opposite Hikaru, Isaru, and Eiko.

"Man, I wish I was home," said Isaru. "We always had great meals at home."

Hikaru agreed.

"Remember when mom went back to work after Bana-chan was born?"

Hikaru smiled. They saw that Sai, Yuli, and the others were interested in listening to them. "For an entire year, father let eat whatever we wanted. Absolutely anything."

"That was great! I couldn't believe it! It was so much fun!"

Hikaru's smile turned into a smirk. "It was fun until we ended up in the hospital."

"Yeah, but at least, we were in the same room together." Both boys tapped their knuckles together at that.

"I remember the pediatrician must have given father a nice, long talk over nutrition. I wondered what they were talking about, so I went toward the hallway and saw him sitting on a bench with a dietary manual in his hands."

Isaru burst into laughter. "Wow, I didn't realize he was that clueless."

Sai and Yuli smiled at the story.

Yuli commented, "I always wondered how Ryo was as a father."

Sai agreed. "Yeah, this sounds just like him, too."

Hikaru said, "Ever since then, we made a big family day out of cooking. Mother was in charge, of course. We made enough meals to last us until their next time off work, so we just heat everything up in the microwave or on the stove."

* * *

Dais crept along the walls. A few soldiers and youja wandered past on routine assignments. The nether spirits gave him the most concern. Every time he saw a spirit, he flattened himself against a wall between statues or went down a corner to avoid detection. Only the nether spirits would sense an armor-bearer. Fortunately, Dais encountered fewer of the spirits than he did soldiers and youja.

A few days' starvation and sleep deprivation were taking their toll. He had endured worse he was an ordinary samurai prior to joining Talpa, but that was in the 1500s. For each moment he waited for a nether creature to pass, dizziness and nausea floated through his mind. If he became too dizzy or light-headed, he might lose grasp of the illusion protecting him.

Finally, he reached the center of the floating landmass. He entered the central chamber. Twenty-five nether spirits faced each other in a complex and overlapping pentagonal formation, their energy radiating toward each other in a complicated chain that kept the landmass in the sky. Dais surveyed the design and estimated the strength. Even in his best condition, he would lack the strength to break nether spirits' chain. He needed at least two more armor-bearers. He doubted Kale or Sekhmet would know where to find him or how to reach him.

Frustrated at his new predicament, he proceeded back the way he came and began to contemplate his next course of action. The hallways were more crowded than before while soldiers and youja changed shifts. As he neared the exit, his illusion slipped. A soldier shouted at him. Dais spun and killed it without effort, but heavy footsteps echoed down the hallway. A second soldier had ran off to report his appearance; chasing after it would put himself in greater danger.

Dais hurried to the entrance. He shoved the doors open. By the time an alarm resounded through the castle, he was already searching desperately for a place to hide.

* * *

Six nether soldiers arrived at Sai's makeshift shelter. With the dull, blunt end of a weapon, one soldier poked awake Isaru. Yuli quickly shook awake Eiko and Yoshio to spare them similar undignified treatment. Hands in the air, Sai went outside as the group's leader. He wondered why so many soldiers had come for seemingly harmless and ineffectual humans.

The soldier in charge said, "You are to follow us. All of you."

Sai nodded in mute agreement. He placed both hands in his pockets as the others walked next to him. Yoshio clung to an arm. Eiko held her father's hand and stared alertly at her surroundings.

"What's all this about?" asked Isaru.

Hikaru whispered, "Be patient. I don't know."

Sai rolled his armor orb in his hand. He noticed dozens, no possibly hundreds of soldiers as well as several youja, and the human captives either standing in line side-by-side or being taken to stand in line. The six soldiers ordered them to stop. All but two walked off. Two nether spirits floated down each row of humans. The spirits paused briefly in front of each person. A crackle of energy surrounded the person who was bewildered and confused at the experience. No pain, no possession...

Sai felt something catch in his throat. The nether spirits were searching for someone. Danger became very real, very imminent. "Yuli, I want you to take Yoshio and the kids. Take them as far away from me as you can."

"What?"

Sai did not stop staring at the nether spirits coming closer. His eyes contained a mixture of horror and mournful sorrow. "They are going to find out. You have to keep everyone safe. The soldiers and the youja will be distracted when they find out. Too focused on me. You have to flee."

A long silence. Finally, Yuli said, "Alright." He let go of Eiko and took Yoshio's hand. "Come with me, Yoshio."

The six-year-old started to wail and protest, but Hikaru spoke sympathetically, "It'll be alright. We'll take care of you."

Isaru went slowly behind them. He stared from Sai and the oncoming nether spirit to Yuli and the other kids. The nether spirit stopped in front of Sai. In one solid motion, Sai pulled out his armor orb and dissipated the nether spirit while the armor gear flowed over him. Dozens upon dozens of nether spirits soared into the air. They were aware of a Ronin Warrior's presence instantly. Soldiers shouted that the Ronin Warrior has been found.

Yoshio jerked back on Yuli's grip, almost breaking free. "Daddy! Daddy!" he screamed. Yuli grabbed Yoshio around the torso. The child continued screaming, so Yuli covered Yoshio's mouth. The child bit hard on his hand.

The nether soldiers who attempted to attack Sai perished the same way that nether spirit had perished. Hearing deeper and fiercer battle-cries, Yuli glanced up and saw the helmet tips of tall youja. Sai had also heard the same; he was already summoning Torrent. The people panicked and stampeded away like a tidal wave.

Yuli wrapped both arms around Yoshio and jerked him up to protect him from the onrush. He and the children moved with the panicked crowd. They blended in and were lost among the crowd. Soon, four youja surrounded Sai. Several more youja swarmed to the attack.

No human saw the result of that battle. Caught in the flight of mass hysteria, their memories of running to resting became blurred and fuzzy. Somehow, the captives came to a halt. Yuli and the children leaned against someone else's shelter. They were exhausted. Their breathing was audible.

Hikaru asked, "Do you think he's alive? Did he survive?"

"I don't know..." said Yuli between deep breaths. The new armors were powerful, but there had been literally ten or twenty youja. "We have to wait for Ryo."

A youja's voice boomed out, "Humans!"

The captives looked up at a youja standing on the tall platform for everyone to see. The youja raised a sword dripping red: "The blood of a Ronin Warrior!"


End file.
